per class
The Church Forests of Ethiopia
Completed by 18 learners
Ages 12-17
Live One-Time Class
Live video meetings
Meets once
1-6 learners per class
55 min
What's included
1 live meeting
55 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
US Grade 7 - 10
This is a one-time class for learners 12-17 years old. Across the highlands of Ethiopia, forests now only exist around rural churches. All the other forests have long ago been cutdown in this drought-prone nation. The remnant forests are protected by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and are home to native drought-tolerant plant species of vital importance to the future of Ethiopia; they are 'seed banks' for the hope of regreening the nation and protecting its food security. This one-time class will provide a presentation on the history, culture, and challenges facing these church forests, and will be given by one of the world's leading experts (see Sources for more info). The class is an example of the academic domain of "Religion and Ecology" that examines (from a secular and academic perspective) the intersectionality of culture, religion, and history on ecological attitudes throughout the world. The aim is to teach awareness and appreciation of these wonderful forests, as well as to give objective insights on the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in context of understanding one of the world's religions only in terms of history and culture. The class is not religious. It provides a neutral analysis of a world religion as it relates to ecology from the academic domains of sociology, anthropology, and history. No personal beliefs on religion or politics will be presented. The class is history and ecology, pure and simple. Topics to be covered include predevelopment ecology, historical deforestation and its consequences on food insecurity and famine, the history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the place of nature in their religious worldview, the use of the forests by the church and wandering monastics, and the contemporary ecological challenges and opportunities for reforestation. No prior knowledge or background required, just an interest in history and ecology. It is open to learners of any religious background or none at all. The presentation will be historical, objective, secular, and academic.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
The lecture will discuss the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in relation to ecological attitudes and behaviors in order to explain why the forests are being protected. The presentation will be from a secular and academic perspective, such as it is taught at university. It is history and culture, pure and simple.
Supply List
A handout will be provided of special terms used in the lecture.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
Goodin, David K. 2022. “Sacred Texts and Environmental Ethics: Lessons in Sustainability from Ethiopia,” In: State of the Art in Ethiopian Church Forests and Restoration Options, Kindu, M., Schneider, T., Wassie, A., Lemenih, M., Knoke, T. (Eds.), Springer Nature: Cham, Switzerland (In Press, scheduled to be published January 2022).
Goodin, David K. 2021. “Lesson in Sustainability from Ethiopia: Faith, Forests, and Food Security,” Climate Crisis and Creation Care: Eco-Economic Sustainability, Ecological Integrity and Justice, Christiana Nellist, editor, Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Goodin, David K. 2019. “The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Forests and Economic Development: The Case for Traditional Ecological Management.” Journal for the Study of Religion and Society, Volume 21: 1-23.
Meet the teacher
Teacher expertise and credentials
Doctoral Degree from McGill University
I have a PhD in Religious Studies from McGill University (a secular institution) and a MSc in Environmental Policy. The Ethiopian Church Forests is a research area of mine, and I have several high-profile publications on this topic (see Sources).
Reviews
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